Is Acid Reflux Possible?

Hi Everyone, I have been having a pain in my chest area.  From the end of my throat to the top of my breastbone (esophagus), anyway it feels like something is stuck there, I have been able to eat and drink things are passing through, but I feel pressure there when ever i do eat something.  I also feel this pressure when I bend over and also when I talk. I went to urgent care yesterday and the doctor did an ekg and said I was fine, but he didnt' do a chest xray.  He proscribed Protinix a medication for acid reflux.  Since our stomachs are bypassed do we still execrete stomach acid that would cause reflux? I was not thinking clearly and did not pose this question to the doctor yesterday. Thanks, Teah

Hi Teah,   I take prescription "Zegerid" for acid reflux.  I've been on it for 2 months now and no longer have the symptons.  I would have your doctor check you out as acid reflux is still possible.

Hi Carly,  Thanks for the information.   Teah

Sure can. I know. I happen to have a lot of "cardiac producing acid pumps" in my remaining pouch. I take a Nexium every morning and have done so since about 3 months post op my WLS, lap RNY. My surgeon explained that some people have a lot of acid producing pumps in the cardiac region of our remaining stomachs. I am one of those people. The Nexium takes care of this problem for me. I have had BAD GERD for many many years and figured that the GERD would end once I had WLS. However after surgey, I continued to have GERD and that is when I went on the Nexium. I take the Nexium first thing each morning along with my synthyroid on an empty pouch and wait one hour before I eat or drink anything.  Hope you are feeling better and take the meds your doctor gives you.

Hi Monica, I love your signature!  Thanks for the response.  I am feeling much better, and I am amazed that this would be a problem.   Teah

I get that sometimes, especially if I've been on antibiotics or taking arthritis meds. I take Prilosec twice a day for a week and then once a day for a month or so and it goes away. Be sure to follow-up with your surgeon though. I'm sure you have considered this but you could also be over-eating and having problems from filling up your stomach. I had a problem with that from the beginning with my bypass because I was a failed Lap Band and had a dilated esophagus. I have to be careful how much I eat because I can eat more than most bypass patients.  Laura

Hi Laura,  Can you explain more about the dialated esophagus?  How did that feel?

I usually eat until I feel a fullness in my pouch, but I have never felt anything backing up, which is why it confused me about the reflux thing.  I was bent over cleaning my bathtub and then all of a sudden I had this pain/pressure between my throat and breastbone. Any additional information you can provide would be helpful. Thanks, Teah

Mine was more of a mechanical thing from the LapBand. Once it was removed and I converted to gastric bypass, I was instantly better. But once it's stretched, it doesn't go back. Over the three years that I had my band, I had terrible problems with reflux and the last year didn't even have any fluid in my band but still had reflux. I finally switched surgeons. When they did an upper GI, my esophagus looked like an S. My reflux had gotten much worse and I had chest pains like I was having a heart attack. The surgeon said it only happens to 2% of the people who get a band it's caused by the body fighting against the band all the time. He said it's like a foreign body and the stomach muscle just decides not to accept it like most bodies and constantly fights it.  He said I had to be extra careful with the bypass because if I ate til I was full, that was too late to stop. By then the pouch is full and even though I don't feel it, some is in my esophagus. He did mention this is rare in people who just have the bypass but that if they eat all the time until they are full, it can happen.  I definitely would stop eating before you feel full. And as I said, some things irritate my stomach and the Prilosec helps. I just take the over the counter one and the surgeon said even though it says just once a day, that you can take it twice a day for a few weeks without harms. If I know I'm going to drink alcohol, I usually take it for a few days around that. Wine really makes my stomach burn the next day.  Have you had an upper GI or gastroscope? I would be sure to go to the doctor and have it checked out.  Good luck, Laura

Please request an upper GI (endoscopy) asap.  I am almost 6 years out and finally had one done after 18 months of taking Protonix for acid.  First, Protonix is extended release, so it may work well but not as well as it should (it worked great for me for 16 months, then it did nothing).  Just yesterday I had an endoscopy and I have possible Barrett's esophagus, gastritis and am now on Nexium 2 times a day while awaiting the results of 3 biopsies that were taken and sent to pathology. Just take control of your health and request an upper GI.  I was told that a chest x-ray cannot effectively diagnose espohagial issues. HTH, Lisa rny 4/21/01